A major controversy has erupted at the Odisha Textbook Production and Marketing Office (TBPM) following serious allegations of widespread age fabrication during the regularisation of employees.
According to reports, the controversy dates back to 2014 when the Textbook Printing Press Mazdoor Sangh approached the Orissa High Court, seeking regular government salaries for informal workers. Following the court’s favourable verdict, these workers were transitioned into regular government service. However, disgruntled employees have now come forward alleging that several workers manipulated their official dates of birth during this process to artificially lower their age.
The primary motive behind this alleged fraud was to extend their service tenure, allowing them to delay retirement and continue drawing government salaries illegally. Critics have labelled the move a calculated and systematic crime, prompting demands for a thorough, high-level investigation into the matter.
Compounding the crisis, TBPM has already been under heavy public scrutiny due to recurrent errors in school textbooks and delays in delivering revised study materials to students across the state. This fresh wave of corruption and malpractice allegations has further cast a shadow over the transparency, efficiency, and administrative credibility of the office.
Efforts to reach senior TBPM administrators for comments have been unsuccessful. All eyes are now on the state government and higher authorities to see if an official inquiry will be launched to investigate the irregularities.
